Cut Action Bronson from the GW Spring Fling Set List

George Washington University's program board hired rapper Action Bronson to perform at this year's Spring Fling. GW is an outstanding school, but hiring Action Bronson was a serious oversight.

His music promotes rape, his videos promote violence against women, and his social media promotes violence against the trans community. He is violently transphobic and misogynistic.

The absolute degradation of women in his videos goes beyond the norm for rap; it is not merely objectifying women, his videos have literally depicted him spitting on women and stabbing them. His video "Brunch" is solely about him killing a woman, going about his day, going to dump her body, finding out she's still alive, and stabbing her more.

His transphobia is violent as well, including the fact that he said if trans people don't want to be pissed and spit on, they shouldn't get drunk (which is one of the most horrifying excuses used in rape, too). Of course, he didn't say they, as he only refers to trans people as "it," which is incredibly dehumanizing. He made this comment after posting a photo of a trans women he had harassed. He has also made racially degrading comments, too.

There are trans students on our campus. I am certain that some of them, if not all, have been harassed or even assaulted--they're one of the most marginalized and at-risk communities in this country. There are sexual assault survivors on our campus. They shouldn't be sent the message that someone like this is welcome. It's unacceptable.

The program board has assured us he won't be performing his song entitled "Consensual Rape," but it's not enough. We wouldn't accept a well-known racist performing, even if he said he wouldn't make racist comments at the performance. The same standard needs to be set here. A man who thinks, acts, and speaks like he does has no place at George Washington. We're better than this.